The British government has published a new definition of extremism in response to a surge in hate crimes following Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel, a move critics warn could threaten free speech.

The new definition is narrower and more precise than the previous definition which did not provide how to assess and identify extremism. Organizations or individuals added to the list will not be ...

The new definition has no legal standing and does not affect current criminal law. The government said the new definition was necessary due to a rise in hate crimes since the October 7 attacks.